U.S. soldier charged with 17 murders in Afghan killings

U.S. soldier charged with 17 murders in Afghan killings

A U.S. Army sergeant was formally charged with 17 counts of murder on Friday for killing eight adults and nine children in a pre-dawn
shooting rampage in southern Afghanistan that further eroded U.S.-Afghan relations already frayed by a decade of war.

Premeditated murder is a capital offence under the U.S. military justice code, so Bales could face the death penalty if convicted. He would
face a mandatory minimum sentence, if convicted, of life imprisonment with eligibility for parole, the military statement said.

I ran a search on ATS looking for an article about the soldiers (Robert Bales) conviction, but found nothing.

Its good to see that the soldier has been formally charged with murder....and that he could also face the death penalty. Though I am highly skeptical
of the US legal system which I suspect will work towards his favour.

So far, a lot of people have either been excusing his act as a result of stress or have brought up unnecessary diversions to deflect focus from
this killer. If there is anything left of "justice", this killer of women and children will get what he deserves in the form of a death penalty.

I ran a search on ATS looking for an article about the soldiers (Robert Bales) conviction, but found nothing.

There hasn't been a trial yet. Convictions come after the trial. He has been charged which means what they think they have enough proof to convict
him of.

Its good to see that the soldier has been formally charged with murder....and that he could also face the death penalty. Though I am highly skeptical
of the US legal system which I suspect will work towards his favour.

He will not be dealing with the US legal system. He is not being charged by the US legal system. His case falls under the jurisdiction of the
military legal system, which has many differences. Uniform Code of Military Justice is different from the US legal system.

So far, a lot of people have either been excusing his act as a result of stress or have brought up unnecessary diversions to deflect focus from
this killer. If there is anything left of "justice", this killer of women and children will get what he deserves in the form of a death penalty.

he deserves 17 lethal injections. as matter of fact if there was justice, they'd just hand over this garbage to the families of the kids he
killed.

little children. little girls. some of them 3 years old.

even the msm is having a hard time defending his actions without looking like imbeciles and child killers.

at least if he admitted guilt and showed remorse and accepted his punishment, people might forgive him. but not even that, he's hiding behind his
lawyer and blaming ptsd.

it'll be 15-25 years before this guy sees a lethal injection. and most likely, they'll find him not guilty by reason of insanity and he'll spend
the next decade in a minimum security hospital until he's released.

Charges filed Friday against Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales reflect the horror of the crime: 17 counts of premeditated murder, more than half of them
children, during a shooting rampage in southern Afghanistan. But while Afghans are calling for swift and severe punishment, it will likely be months,
even years, before the public ever sees Bales in a courtroom.

No.
Have you ever had a foreign soldier come into your house at night and shoot at your loved ones?

Having spent nearly 4 years of my life in warzones, my answer is: Yes. I have.

ETA: If you are looking for an arguement from me that what Bales is accused of doing was acceptable behavior, you are not going to find such an
arguement here. My point was with an opinion formed that was devoid of any basis for reference in experience.

I cannot believe there are actually people in this world who would excuse this puke's actions. Anyone who believes there is any excuse whatsoever
for murdering women and children in cold blood is, as far as I'm concerned, just as guilty as the murderer himself.

Not really when the guy shot down the question. You arent trying to start anything are you? Anyway the Shooting occured,but there might be a snag
since there is very little forensic evidence. I am sure though the JAG and the armys investigators will get to the bottom of it.

Originally posted by PatriotAct
I never knew there was rules to wars, thanks for the reconnaissance .

There are rules of engagement. For example it is against the UCMJ to kill anyone who is surrendering, troops are required to provide medical
assistance to wounded enemies, etc. You learn all this in basic training.

Really? You've had foreign soldiers come into your house and shoot at your loved ones? Tell me more.
Did those loved ones happen to be your own family?

Because, in context to this particular news story... when I said "loved ones", I obviously meant family...you know...women, little kids
etc.... as experienced by the Afghans who had a foreign soldier coming into their homes and shooting at their "loved ones".

like ..here me out here..so this guy did do a terrible thing..killed innocent people..but he also KILLED (im a ssuming, since his a soldier ) other
peole in battler..so i guess my question is ..as humans, is killing ok only certain circumstances? or is killing a bad thing period no matter how its
done , to who it was done or why it was done?

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